United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V Rocket

SIL’s patented Vehicle Based Independent Tracking System (VBITS) flew on the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V Rocket on February 16, 2012. VBITS technology was used to track the Atlas V’s location in flight, and consists of a GPS receiver, processor, power, and voltage transient suppression modules integrated into one space qualified unit. The flight aboard the Atlas V Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) marked the first time that one of the nation’s largest space boosters carried a GPS tracking system onboard.

The VBITS exceeds the U.S. Air Force (USAF) range transformational vision to increase metric track performance with capabilities that surpass the accuracy of the existing ground-based radar network on the Eastern and Western Ranges. Because the VBITS is flexible, easily scalable and upgradable it also reduces operation and maintenance costs.